The role of preoperative factors, surgical approach, preoperative and postoperative mobilisation for improved surgical outcomes after open elbow arthrolysis in posttraumatic elbow stiffness

An observational ambispective cohort study will conducted in a tertiary care center in south India. Patients who underwent elbow arthrolysis for post-traumatic elbow stiffness between 2013 and 2023 will be retrospectively identified and invited to participate. Once the study population is defined, the cohort of patients will be prospectively followed up at the clinic to assess pain, neurological status, stability, range of movements, and functional and radiological outcomes. Patients presenting with posttraumatic stiffness were placed in a structured preoperative therapy program and splinting. Those persisting with moderate to severe types of stiffness three to six months following the therapy program underwent open elbow arthrolysis. The advantages of the medial approach will be identified.

Study hypotheses: Elbow stiffness in patients undergoing the therapy protocol improves and downgrades their stages of stiffness. Functional outcomes improve in patients undergoing open elbow arthrolysis. The medial approach for elbow arthrolysis will show better outcomes. Several preoperative factors like time from injury, severity of stiffness, extrinsic type of stiffness, absence of preoperative heterotopic ossification, and arthritic changes show improved outcomes and can be identified as prognostic factors.